


Aut Viam Inveniam Aut Faciam

by BlueMoon333



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ
Genre: Domestic Violence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-07
Updated: 2015-07-11
Packaged: 2018-04-08 03:16:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4288632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueMoon333/pseuds/BlueMoon333
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neither of them had a place to call home, so they made one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yunho is 19. Changmin is 17. Both in final year of high school. Rated for violence and language.  
> Trigger Warning: This story contains descriptions of domestic violence/parental abuse. Please proceed with caution.

 

 

Yunho bumps the door open with his hip and lugs the heavy garbage bags to the dumpster across the alleyway. He throws them in and wipes his hands on his apron. Turning back, he hears some commotion and narrows his eyes to see four figures crowding together towards the end of the narrow, empty street. Yunho sighs to himself thinking it's another batch of asshats trying to make a drug deal here. The last time they were caught, there were cops loitering the area for days, scaring all the customers away. Yunho steps closer, ready to teach these idiots a lesson when he gets a closer look at the people ahead.

 

It's three well-aged men surrounding a familiar-looking kid, who's wearing something that looks a lot like his school uniform.

 

“Come on, don't be like that, cutie.” The man tries to grip his chin but the boy swats his hand away.

 

“Yeah, we're good friends of your mother.” He shrugs away from the hand tugging his blazer of his shoulder.

 

“We don't wanna hurt you. We just want a good time and-” The third guy gets a face full of fist and the other two back away for a moment, but then they get angry.

 

“Why you little bitch-!”

 

“Hey!”

 

All four of them startle towards the direction of the shout.

 

“What the hell do you think you're doing?” Yunho walks towards them menacingly.

 

The older men's faces turn pale and they make a run for it before he can get a good look at their faces. Fucking disgusting bastards. Yunho turns around ready to yell at the boy for stupidly walking alone in a deserted alleyway, when he spots him already meters away, walking in the opposite direction.

 

Yunho scoffs.

 

Ungrateful brat.

 

 

-

 

 

Yunho throws his empty backpack onto the desk and slumps into his chair, resting his head in his arms in the optimal napping position. He drones out all the noise and catches up on some shut eye before an incessantly annoying voice keeps calling his name. He lifts his head from his warm cocoon, his bangs obscuring his vision, and lazily eyes the teacher.

 

“Mr. Jung! Although it is wonderful of you to show up to class today, I would very much appreciate it if you were actually conscious for it.”

 

Yunho grumbles in irritation and stares at the board, eyes half open. It's almost over anyway. The teacher proceeds to drone on and on about some painter he couldn't care less about before the school bell rings.

 

Then a boy up front stands, directing the rest of the class to do the same.

 

“Stand.”

 

The boy from last night. So, he's the class president, huh? Yunho had wondered where he had recognized him from.

 

“Bow.”

 

Whatever.

 

 

-

 

 

Aside from working at the restaurant on school days, Yunho has another job delivering shipments of drinks from the factory to local convenience stores and restaurants over weekends. It always leaves him tired and sore but the pay is good so he has no complaints. He trudges home, ready to burry his face in his pillow. He walks past the unoccupied couch facing a still playing television screen, only to freeze in the entrance-way to the kitchen, where he spots his money pouch on the counter next to his very pissed off looking father.

 

“You wanna tell me what this is?” He can smell the alcohol on his breath from all the way here.

 

Yunho feels his extremities grow cold, numb, while his stomach rumbles with acid, pins and needles. He doesn't show it though, leaving his face carefully blank.

 

“It's my money pouch,” he says without a stutter.

 

“And why were you hiding it?” His father starts stepping towards him after pocketing it.

 

“I wasn't.” He really wasn't. Well, not this one. He has another stash, much larger than this one, hidden somewhere his snooping father would never find. His father doesn't seem to buy it though.

 

“And what were you going to use it for, huh?” He starts shoving at Yunho's shoulder.

 

“Cigarettes.” A lie.

 

“Oh? You think you're man enough to smoke?” He starts flicking his forehead, trying to draw a reaction out of him. Then he begins to slap his cheek, mocking him.

 

“Huh, pussy?” His slaps grow harder, until he starts punching, and kicking. He's yelling now, but Yunho refuses to make a sound, which just pisses him off even more.

 

Good.

 

A kick to the his ribcage does the trick through. He grunts, clutching his side, trying to regulate his breathing. Looks away for just a moment; a huge mistake on his part. When he looks back, he only has a moment to shield his face with his arm as an incoming object is hurled his way, shattering upon contact with his skin.

 

Glass.

 

There's a brief moment when he feels a prickly sensation along his hand down to his wrist, and then there's a burn. He feels it tingle at a spot under his left eye. It bleeds, as does his arm, and without wasting another second, Yunho sprints out of there, ignoring the screams and curses thrown his way. He cradles his arm against his body, making sure to not make any further movements that might tear or embed the glass intrusions in further. He stops running when he's made it far enough. It's late and all the shops are closed and there's nowhere to go. Yunho walks up to a glass window and takes a look at his reflection, light coming from the lamp post at the edge of the sidewalk. He not-so-gently pulls out the shard from his cheek and sees that it's from that cheap vase of his. Blood trickles down to his chin.

 

“Shit,” he mutters, pressing the bottom of his shirt to the puncture with his good arm. The cold night breeze sweeps across his abdomen and he shivers. He left without grabbing a sweater. His mom would've nagged him for days.

 

He sighs and finally takes in the damage to his arm. He should probably sit down for this. Yunho recognizes the street and starts walking towards the park behind the block. He plops down onto the first bench he sees and begins to pull out all the pieces still stuck along his hand one by one. He's fully concentrated on his task and doesn't notice another presence until a pair of scruffy shoes enter his line of vision. His eyes trial upward until they reach the face of the owner of the shoes.

 

Oh.

 

It's him again.

 

Yunho ignores him and goes back to trying to fix his arm without causing any further permanent damage. He can sense his irritability rising as the boy just stares at him. A few seconds pass and he still hasn't left yet.

 

“What do you want?” Yunho snaps.

 

“Give it to me.”

 

“What?”

 

“Your hand.” Changmin holds his hand out.

 

“No,” Yunho replies, but the younger man just rolls his eyes and takes it anyway, taking a seat next to him.

 

“Hey!” Yunho yells almost petulantly, but Changmin just ignores him, closely examining his arm.

 

After a while, he gently places Yunho's arm in his lap, not bothered by the blood staining his pants. There are only a few small pieces left, but those are the most difficult to remove. Changmin pulls out a small flashlight attached to his keys and locates all the remaining shards. He then carefully pulls them out, trying his best not to aggravate the skin around the cuts. All the while Yunho just stares as this almost-stranger tend to his wounds. He's probably just returning the favor of Yunho saving his ass last time.

 

Changmin pulls out a handkerchief and wipes most of the blood that hasn't dried up around his cuts. He then pulls out what looks like a mini first-aid kit out his backpack which seems to contain a wonderland of items. Yunho smirks.

 

“Are you going to pull out an ambulance too?”

 

At that comment, Changmin “accidentally” presses on one of his cuts. Yunho yelps, pulling his arm away from the demon-in-disguise.

 

“What the hell?!” but Changmin just plays it off like an innocent.

 

He pours some alcohol onto a cotton swab, ignoring the seemingly petrified look on Yunho's face, and pulls his injured arm back into his grasp. Yunho resumes staring at Changmin as he lightly dabs all of his cuts. He didn't even warn him about the sting like they do in the movies. Suddenly Changmin looks up at him, catching Yunho off guard. He leans in a little and Yunho gets a bit wary, until he realizes Changmin is cleaning the cut on his face. He stares at his features up close while Changmin keeps his eyes trained on his cheek. It's a little unnerving to have the other man not say a single word, but Yunho supposes he shouldn't complain.

 

After that's done, he wraps up Yunho's arm with a small roll of elastic bandage. He sorts through his mini-kit for something, lips pressed together as he shuffles the items around until he finds whatever it is he's looking for. He makes a pleased noise and unwraps a bandaid with his small hands. Yunho gets a closer look at the print on the bandaid and snorts.

 

“Transformers? Really?”

 

Changmin raises a threatening eyebrow that says, _You got a problem with that?_

 

Yunho shivers.

 

_Scary._

 

The bandaid is placed firmly on his lacerated cheek. Changmin tosses the scraps of used materials into the trashcan next to the bench. And then it turns extra awkward, at least for Yunho. He examines the fine job of his arm as Changmin packs up his things. He doesn't really know what to say and is about to mutter a thank you when Changmin stands.

 

“Now we're even.”

 

With that, he walks away and Yunho watches him go. He was right. That's one thing they have in common. They both don't like owing anyone anything. Yunho deems it late enough for his father to have passed out, and heads home in the other direction.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

A month passes and the days are much warmer now. Yunho has been working extra shifts as well as attending school on most days since he's determined to make this year his last and graduate already. Although this is some good progress in his otherwise oh-so-stagnant life, it makes him feel dead tired almost all the time. He's trying to take a nap for lunch break right now, but his annoying classmates are chattering away noisily, and their ridiculous shrieking is giving him a massive headache. He stands abruptly, chair and desk displaced, ignoring the sudden quite in the room and the looks of perpetual fear donning the faces of his supposed peers. He walks out of the room, and heads for the staircase. Some other students lounging on the steps stiffen as he walks by, but eventually they resume their carefree banter. He heads up and decides to test the lock on the door that's usually closed to keep students out. When he finds it unlocked, he's pleased, although finding it a bit odd. He steps onto the roof and shuts the door behind him, squinting at the sudden burst of sunlight.

 

He looks over to his left and spots a very uncaring Changmin stuffing his face with food from his abnormally large bento box. Well that solves that mystery. Obviously being the class president had its perks like keys to restricted areas... what an abuse of power. Yunho plops down next to the wall also, savoring the serenity and shade. His eyes close and he drifts into blackness soon enough.

 

He feels a sharp nudge on his shoulder and wakes to the roof door closing behind an exiting Changmin. He lazily gets up, and brushes off his clothes. He pauses to see a purple sticky note on his tie. Lifting it to his face, he reads _lock the door behind you._

 

Yunho scoffs and crumbles up the message to toss it aside. He does as he's told though, of course. After that, Yunho falls into a routine of going to the roof to get some peace. He rather enjoys the comfortable silence. Changmin doesn't seem to mind either, too busy devouring his lunch. One time, Yunho asked him for some and was met with food-filled cheeks and a wrathful glare. And even a hiss. Yunho thinks it's best not to try that again. Ever.

 

 

-

 

 

“Why don't you ever fight back?”

 

Changmin finished his food early. He's looking at Yunho with curious eyes.

 

“Hmm?” Yunho's lying on his back, arms resting behind his head. He looks up at Changmin, who clearly isn't going to ask a second time. It still amazes him how the younger can have such an outright attitude with him. He isn't scared of him like other kids are. There was a fight that Yunho had the misfortune to be a part of. He had to pull out his skills from learning hapkido as a child to break up the four-man fight. It was a one time thing but it stuck with him. After that, people kept their distance and made up these ridiculous stories about him. From that, he gained this reputation of being the bad boy of the school. His height and intense eyes didn't help the matter. But Yunho didn't care as long as they stayed out of his way.

 

Although he would never admit it, he's actually very happy that Changmin doesn't give in to such rumors, considering he has some nasty ones floating around himself. He can see the slight hesitation in the boy's expression, but he knows it's not because he's afraid of Yunho. It's because he thinks he's stepped over the line with a sensitive subject. Yunho turns his head back towards the sky and contemplates his next words.

 

“... It doesn't seem right.”

 

Changmin makes a sour face at his answer.

 

“What? To defend yourself? We both know you can take him on easily.”

 

“Yea. But...”

 

Yunho's mother had died in a car accident while driving to one of his dance recitals. Her death _ruined_ his father. He was an absolute mess having so abruptly lost the woman he'd love most in his life. He was completely inconsolable. At first, he wouldn't come home for days and nights on end. Then one night he came home drunk into Yunho's room.

 

That was the night his father tried to kill him.

 

He beat him bloody and wrapped his hands suffocatingly around Yunho's neck. Yunho was ten.

 

He had passed out then and had woken up in a hospital bed two days later. No one had said anything. They couldn't lose the only prestigious lawyer in town after all. They knew what a monster he was yet they let Yunho go home with him. His father waited fourteen days until he did it again. Yunho would cry. Beg for him to stop. Scream in pain in hopes that somebody would help him. But help never came. He was alone and over the years, he had stopped crying. Stopped screaming. Stopped everything. But that just made his father angrier. Made him punch, kick, and throw harder. Made Yunho avoid him better. Some people in his situation might want to re-patch their relationship. Might yearn for the love of their parent but Yunho didn't. Yunho resented him and refused to spare him anything because

 

“The bastard doesn't deserve it. Doesn't deserve anything from me. Not even a fight.”

 

Changmin felt himself go cold for a moment from the stormy eyes staring at him and the absolute hatred in Yunho's voice. It was silly since he knew it wasn't directed at him.

 

“Do y-... do you blame yourself?” Changmin was hesitant to ask him this, and again he felt like it wasn't his place to ask such a personal question. But Changmin wanted know. Yunho's eyes clear up a bit, and his cold expression turns unreadable. He looks away and answers softly.

 

“No.”

 

No, Yunho doesn't blame himself for what happened to his mother. Not anymore at least. His mother was so gentle, kind, and loving. Yunho had lived for years, utterly buried under a surmount of guilt, trying to claw his way out. Thinking it was his own fault his mother died broke Yunho's spirit more than the blows from his father ever could. But when he felt so swallowed up by this all-consuming darkness, he finally caved in and unlocked the precious memories of the happy family that he once had and had forbidden himself from ever reliving. If he hadn't reminded himself of the time he spent in her love, he might've killed himself.

 

Although he hadn't felt all that hopeful, he tried to change the way he thought of things. He started taking pleasure in the simple things like soaking in sunshine. It was a frustratingly slow process, but he began appreciating his life more. Finally, he came into terms with the accident, because that's exactly what it was. An accident. Something out of his control. He knew his mother wouldn't want him to suffer like he made himself suffer. And he also knew without a doubt that if she were still here, she would've done everything in her power to protect him from his father. The thought of it fills him with warmth and he smiles softly at Changmin.

 

 

-

 

 

The nights were getting hotter and Yunho decides to treat himself to some cold snacks. In his rush to get home before they melt, he almost misses Changmin sitting on his front steps, wearing large-frame glasses with a book in his lap. The boy doesn't notice him until he places a popsicle on his book and goes to join him on the steps. Changmin looks to him in surprise then back at the treat in his lap. Without a word, he gingerly opens the package and pops the popsicle into his mouth.

 

“Why are you out here tonight?” Yunho asks, opening his own grape-flavored one.

 

“I'm always out here at night.” Yunho raises a questioning eyebrow.

 

“I don't need to hear or see whatever's going on in there.”

 

Oh, right. He forgot. Changmin's mother and her preferred profession. It's a small town, and everyone knows everything, not that this is something his mother tries to hide. She seduces all the men in town with her beauty and brings them home to do unspeakable things. Kinda like a stay-at-home prostitute. Yunho looks at Changmin who's silently enjoying his treat, his lips red with the artificial cherry flavoring. He wonders what it's like for him, to never be able to comfortably step into his own house. Who knows at what time his mother would be entertaining a number of guests at home.

 

Yunho recalls the first time they met, when those men who claimed to be Changmin's mother's “friends” tried to get Changmin to go home with them. Yunho wasn't blind. He knew how attractive Changmin was and how dirty-minded the men of this town can be. What if they try something at home, a place Changmin is supposed to be safe? Suddenly, Yunho's blood begins to boil.

 

“Do they bother you?” Yunho's voice is terse, and he wonders when he started feeling so protective of the younger man.

 

Changmin looks at Yunho with his round eyes, expression undecipherable by Yunho, and says

 

“I can take care of myself.”

 

Yunho almost laughs, but not because he finds Changmin's statement funny in any way, because he knows the guy can throw a punch. It's about how ridiculously similar their situations are, despite the obvious differences. Neither of them have a place they can call home. They'll never be safe. Never be happy. Never be free. Yunho's expression turns serious and he decides.

 

“Changmin... let's runaway together.”

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

“Let's runaway together.”

 

The two stare at each other, one with a look of fierce determination and the other with surprise and some coloring in his cheeks. There is a tense moment of silence before Changmin bursts out laughing. Yunho's face falls. Changmin tries to contain himself but fails miserably.

 

“You're,” giggle “so cheesy, Yunho.” Giggle giggle. “You can't be serious-” Changmin's giggles are cut short by him choking on a piece of the popsicle. That makes Yunho feel better. Just a little.

 

He gets up and walks towards Changmin as he continues to laugh obnoxiously.

 

“That's Hyung to you.” He bitterly snatches the unfinished popsicle out of his hand. Now Changmin's face drops.

 

“Wait!” he calls out to Yunho as the older man walks away with his treat.

 

“I wasn't finished yet!” He yells petulantly, stomping on his foot.

 

“Not listening~” Yunho shouts back in a sing-song manner, halfway across the street.

 

“Hyung!!” Changmin whines.

 

 

-

 

 

Yunho gets back from work at the restaurant and sets his stuff down. He goes to grab a glass of water and freezes when his eyes land on the date on the calendar pinned to the wall.

 

May 19 th 

 

The date of his mother's death anniversary. He hears the front door click and freezes, panic taking root deep within him. He shouldn't have come home tonight. How the hell could he have forgotten? He turns around in hopes that his father hasn't noticed him yet, only to stop when dead eyes stare right back at his. He begins to step forward as Yunho steps back until is back hits the counter. Before he can register anything else, he gets a blow to the temple and falls to the floor. Yunho automatically covers his head to shield himself from his father's kicks. His father begins cursing his existence and Yunho is reminded of the countless times he's heard them before.

 

_Disgusting piece of garbage!_

 

_Worthless bag of shit!_

 

_You're nothing!_

 

_You deserve to die!_

 

Yunho's eyes began to tear as he gets the wind knocked out of him. That's it. It's happening again. The same way it goes every time. He doesn't want this. Never wanted any of it. He just wanted to go to school and hang out with friends like a normal kid than be the loner with the cold personality. He wanted to go to dance class and live out his passion than spend hours working himself to the bone just so he didn't ever have to ask his father for money. He wanted to come home feeling happy and safe to a loving family than in fear of how badly he would get beaten this time.

 

Tears streak down his cheeks and he screams at his heartache. He feels like his chest is being clawed at and he can't make the pain stop. His father halts, surprised at Yunho's reaction. He was so damn _tired._ Tired of being talked about. Tired of working endless shifts. Tired of being beaten.

 

Tired of being alone.

 

Before his father could hurt him any more, Yunho grabs at his ankle and makes him fall over. He quickly gets behind him and wraps him in a headlock. Yunho uses all the force he could muster as his father squirms in his grip and swings his limbs back to get Yunho to let go. Eventually, his movements become sluggish and his body slumps to the floor. Yunho gets up to his unsteady feet and stares at his father's unconscious body, watching his chest rise and fall. He could hear blood pumping heavily in his ears as his dizziness clears. In the face of clarity, Yunho knows what to do and sprints upstairs.

 

He burst into his room and throws a duffel bag onto his bed. He quickly shuffles through his drawers and grabs a few essential pieces of clothing. He drops to his knees and puts his fingers into a gap between floorboards, pulls until the staples come off, and tosses the plank of wood aside. He does the same with two more and digs his hand into the hole to pull out a large velvet bag filled with all the money he's saved over the years. Yunho shoves it into the bottom of his bag, covering it with the clothes. He zips it up, runs out of the house, and doesn't look back.

 

 

-

 

 

Changmin's sitting outside on his front porch as usual. He didn't even get a chance to grab something from inside to entertain himself with before he was met with the sight of his almost naked mother between two of her customers. One of them had smiled at Changmin wolfishly and asked him to join. Changmin ran out of there as fast as he could. He's been out here for hours now, hugging his knees to chest, staring out ahead of him, waiting for this torture to end.

 

He sees a figure approaching him ahead and gets on his guard. With a closer look, he sees that it's just Yunho, but even from where he's sitting, he can tell how upset the older man is. He gets up immediately when he sees the already purpling bruise on the side of his face. Changmin looks to him with worry.

 

“What happened?” His eyes widen when he sees the hard look on Yunho's face and he starts backing up. Yunho closes in on him and drives him to the wall.

 

“W-What're you doing?”

 

“I'm done. I'm completely done with this place. If you wanna rot here for the rest of your life, go ahead. But don't think for one _second_ that that woman in there won't ever sell you like she sells herself.”

 

Yunho shoves something in Changmin's hand and pins him with intense, bloodshot eyes.

 

“The train leaves at seven a.m. _sharp_.”

 

With that he backs away and storms off. Changmin releases the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding the whole time. He brings the piece of paper up to his eyes with shaky hands.

 

'One-way ticket to Seoul Station.'

 

 

-

 

 

Yunho constantly scans the empty platform, looking for any signs of long limbs and dark locks. He looks at his watch.

 

6:57 AM

 

Changmin isn't there. Maybe he isn't even coming. Yunho feels his eyes sting and stomach roll with disappointment. He looks down again.

 

6:59 AM

 

Bells start ringing and the conductor waves for take-off. Yunho feels his heart sink. He turns his frantic eyes back to the platform and almost thinks he's imagining it when a frazzled looking Changmin turns up, head turning back and forth, eyes searching for Yunho. When he spots him, he starts running.

 

Yunho snaps out of his stupor and grabs at a rail to keep himself in place. Changmin tosses his backpack to him, which Yunho catches and carelessly throws behind him. He outstretches his hand as far as he could and Changmin reaches for it. They're almost at the end of the platform and the train has picked up speed. Their fingers brush and miss.

 

Yunho extends his limbs beyond their strain and grabs onto his wrist. He pulls with all his strength and Changmin jumps. Yunho tugs him closer, immediately wrapping his arm around his waist and forcefully turns their bodies, pulling them in.

 

They're both breathing heavily, slumped against the wall. Yunho rests his head back and closes his eyes, heart beating faster than it ever has before. He takes several calming breaths and looks down at Changmin who's still in his arms, clinging to him. He feels a sudden wave of an unidentifiable emotion wash over him and swallows a sudden lump in his throat. He begins to move, but Changmin stops him.

 

“H-Hold... just... just let me stay like this...i need... just for a-...” He can feel Changmin trembling, his small palms tightening around Yunho's shirt. He nods and they stay like that for a while.

 

“I'm scared.” Changmin says it so softly that Yunho almost doesn't hear it.

 

“Me too.” He answers. It took a lot of courage and faith to take such a risk. The city is unkind to strangers, he knows, but

 

“But...”

 

But he feels oddly at peace with himself, holding Changmin like this.

 

“We're going to be okay.”

 


End file.
